What have I learned?
Well it’s the end of the trip peoples and I am back in Austin. I’ve been home for a few days now trying to get back in the swing of reality and catch up to life. Only takes a few days really, but I’ve been on batman time for those few days and still am. Jsut can’t seem to sleep during the night… ever! And now it’s 7:30am and I still can’t sleep.
Let’s take each country on its own merits:
Tokyo, Japan: F’in awesome city. I’m not sure if it was the people I met, the hostel, or the city itself, probably a combo of all, but I had the most fun here and will definitely go back, probably to the same Ninja hostel. There’s so much to do in this city, i could stay there a month. I have to be thankful for those Thai protests, otherwise I would’ve never even gone to Japan. Happenstance hits another homerun.
The people there are so interesting and different. There’s a sense of identity there that is difficult to describe, it’s not individuality and it’s not conformity, it’s a sense of understanding that they are a unit, cogs working in a giant, beautiful machine that they all love; to differing extents of course, but they are devoted to it. There are strange contrasts like their open sexual programming versus their relational prudity. There’s an overwhelming need to be productive. In fact, if you get fired from work or even laid off, there’s a place where men go everyday just to hang out while they look for another job so that they never have to tell their wives or friends and neighbors and can get up in the morning and go to “work” as they normally would just as a friend of a friend has actually done. Perhaps there’s a sadness to it, but I can’t feel it when I’m there. You might say there’s a loss of individuality or creativity, afterall, all their animes are about spirits, robots, or martial arts or a robot using martial arts to fight a spirit. But when compared with the formulaic US exports, are we so different? Besides, some of the most messed up stuff comes out of Japanese cinema, so you can’t say they’re bland or formulaic.
In short, loved Japan, there’s so much there to see and experience and I hear that surrounding rural communities are very different then the big city of Tokyo.
Thailand: didn’t spend a lot of time in Bangkok, but loved trekking outside of Chiang Mai in the north. The culture is very relaxed and know one sees anything wrong with you waiting 20 minutes for one plate and then 20 more minutes for your companion’s plate at dinner. The food in the north is definitely blander then the south. You can see old white men with their thai girlfriends all over the place. Guys who couldn’t get anyone in their own countries so they go to thailand to pick up a beautiful girl easily. As Mr. Noi told me, “Thai women all very beautiful, but many ages.”
GO TO RAILAY BEACH near Krabi. Can’t stress that enough. So beautiful. If you want a romantic fairy tale getaway, go to Mai Pen Rai in Ko Phanang.
Cambodia: The poverty here is the most obvious. With 4,100 real equally one dollar, it’s no surprise. The streets are hardly paved and there are many people, adults and children walking around without limbs due to landmines. But there is also an interesting culture here. If you’re an alligator farmer, you’re a wealthy man. You can afford a nice house on columns rather then stilts but it will still be right next to your poorer neighbor whose house may be falling apart.
The temple ruins although some less then ten centuries old are already relics of an almost forgotten culture and it feels like it decayed so quickly. Bayorn was the most interesting because of the Buddha heads and the fact that you can climb all over it. I suggest going to see it soon before they restrict that.
Despite their poverty, they are still a happy people, many smiles can be seen everywhere, more so then any of the other countries I went to.
Singapore: A big city. Not a whole lot to do here, but more then Kuala Lumpur. Spend maybe 3 days here. The night safari at the zoo is cool and I loved the science museum. Sentosa is an amusement park island, but the song of the sea show is not bad. I loved Singapore because of the people I met AAAAND for the Indian food. Oh man, so good. I ate that everyday. STAY IN LITTLE INDIA. Don’t mind the Indian people, they’ll stare at you, but they won’t touch you… unless you’re a girl, then get pissed at them and go off, they don’t know how to deal with a yelling woman.
Malaysia: There’s so much more of Malaysia that I didn’t get to experience but if I must judge by KL, I wasn’t impressed. If I judge based on the food of Penang, then I was greatly impressed. Kuala Lumpur is a huge city but there’s really very little to do there, the twin towers and that’s about it. The rest of it is either dirty or can be found in any other city. Plus, not a fan of the Malay (malaysian muslims) people. Not only do their prayers thunder over the city on loud speakers five times a day, but they’re just not happy people. if you try to smile at them or get them to join your merriment, they just look at you confused. That said, I had a great time with Gerald and Maddie and their friends (they were not Malay). They took me to some nice restaurants and a fancy wine bar and we talked for hours and had a great time.
Penang was delicious. I would put that island on a platter and eat it with clam sauce if I could. It was really cool seeing how Elena’s family lives as well, you really get a first person view of life there and it makes me wonder how Elena has adapted so well and so quickly to life in the States. Most impressive. But seriously, I want the recipe for that clam sauce!
So anyway, what have I learned from this trip? I learned more about traveling in a group and how you really have to do your own thing and just hope people come along. I also learned that my travel instincts are pretty good and I should trust them.
I like smaller towns rather then big cities, even though that’s what i’m used to.
I’ve learned a lot of things which I cannot share, some I’m ashamed to admit, like how I’ve become increasingly indifferent to the pain and suffering around me. I guess it started in LA when I was barraged everyday by the same homeless people. Nothing you give them will change anything, so I ignored them, didn’t even acknowledge them. This has carried over into other countries like Cambodia when children missing limbs (having them blown off by landmines) ask you for some money but you pretend not to see them. It feels wrong, but you know as soon as you give him money, five other kids will come up to you, and then ten more, while you’re eating, while you’re walking through the streets, when you’re drinking at a bar. You can’t cure all their pain and even those without impairments have perfected the sad look with tears as they ask you, in the few english words they know, for money. When they turn away, their faces are normal again, like they’d never been crying. I know they say that you can’t change everyone, but you can make a difference for that one child or person. I suppose from now on, I can decide to only give money to the happy ones. To those who are still suffering but can somehow manage a smile and even a laugh, to have fun despite their horrible lives, to rise above it in their own way. This is most difficult thing and deserving of some reward.
I’ve learned that I think I’m ready to settle down, maybe take things a bit more seriously. I think it’s time to go to Australia, some of you might know what that means. So that is next on my itinerary for 09.
Hope you enjoyed the blog, and don’t worry, pictures are coming soon. Peace out yall!